Narrow metallic ribbon package



Jan. 25, 1966 F. E. JUSTICE, JR 3,231,217

NARROW METALLIC RIBBON PACKAGE Filed Feb. 14, 1963 INVENTOR FLOYD E. JUST/CE. J/?

ATTORNEY United States Patent 6 3,231,217 NARROW METALLIC RIBBON PACKAGE Floyd E. Justice, Jr., Conshohocken, Pa., assignor to Steel Heddle Manufacturing Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Feb. 14, 1963, Ser. No. 258,581 1 Claim. (Cl. 242159) This invention relates to narrow metallic ribbon packages and methods of making the same.

Flat metallic wire is used for a variety of applications. The fiat wire may be ferrous or non-ferrous, and may have a plating or other coating thereon, depending upon the end use. Among the varieties of flat wire are conductive wire of copper with or without a silver plating coating, as well as of other materials. One particular use for fiat wire is as an outer covering, braided or otherwise applied, for coaxial cables used in certain electronic circuits. Such wire must "be packaged for use.

If round wire is wound upon a spool and the tension is released with the spool axis in a vertical or inclined position, there is a tendency of the wire to unwind and of turns of the wire to slump so that the normal helical pattern of Winding is not maintained. The turns at the slump interfere with each other to a limited extent. Upon applying a tension on the free end of the wire for unwinding the wire' from the spool the round cross section of the wire facilitates the separation of: the slumped turns and very little ditficulty is encountered with unwinding.

If flat wireis wound upon a spool and the tension released with the" spool axis in a vertical or inclined position there is also'aa tendency of the .wire to unwind and to slump so that the normal helical pattern of winding is not maintained'and the turns at the slump interfere with each otherf Upon applying a tension for unwinding the turns tend to interlock rather than pull free as with round wire, and breakage frequently occurs.

With fiat wire on spools, also, there may be a tendency, it there is a free end, for a portion of the wire to unwind from the spool prior to use so that retention of the free end of the wire is usually necessary.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved helically wound package of narrow metallic ribbon in which the tendency of the turns in free condition to interfere with one another is avoided or greatly reduced.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved helically wound package of narrow metallic ribbon in which the tendency of the turns to slump and cause difficulties in unwinding is avoided or greatly reduced.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved helically wound package of narrow metallic ribbon in which the ribbon has enhanced stability in the package but retains the properties required for subsequent use.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved package of narorw metallic ribbon which may be simply and easily wound with helical winding and which is ready for use without further treatment.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide improved methods of making a helically wound package of narrow metallic ribbon.

Other objects and advantagous features of the invention will be apparent from the description and claim.

The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part thereof, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a package of narrow metallic ribbon in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a view in perspective showing the relation between the setting of the ribbon and the core of the bobbin or spool on which it is wound.

It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawings herein are illustrative merely, and that various modifications and changes can be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated a spool or bobbin 10 is shown having a central cylindrical barrel or body 11 and end discs 12 secured thereto in any desired manner. The spool or bobbin 10 can be made of any desired material such as light weight metal, wood, paper or paper board.

The metallic wire or ribbon, shown at 15, can be of copper, silver,copper plated with silver, or of any other desired metal with any desired coating. It can advantageously be in widths from about 0.035 inch to about one eighth of an inch, but is not limited to this range. The width to thickness ratio can also vary over a wide range and merely by way of illustration can be of a ratio above about five to one.

In accordance with the present invention the flat Wire or ribbon 15 is applied to the spool or bobbin 10 with traverse winding and so as to lay the helical turns with reasonable uniformity onto the central body 11 and then onto each otherbetween the end discs 12. Prior to the delivery of the wire or ribbon onto the body 11 it is given a permanent set, preferably as a preset, so as to impart to the wire a tendency to coil into turns of a diameter which is equal to or slightly less than the diameter of the body 11. This tends to cause the wire 11 when applied in helical configuration onto the body 11 to remain with the turns in helical position free from any tendency to slump or unwind. Interference between turns caused by slumping, or unwinding, upon release of the free end of the wire 15, or with the bobbin 10 freely carried on a support, are avoided Without however conditioning the wire 15 in a manner which introduces problems at the end use thereof.

In FIG. 2 the respective coils 15a are illustrated as having a tendency to assume diameters slightly less than that of the body 11 when not restrained by the body 11.

A narrow metallic ribbon package as herein disclosed is particularly adapted for attaining the objects of the invention.

I claim:

A narrow metallic ribbon package comprising a spool having a central elongated body and end discs, and continuous flat metallic ribbon helically disposed on said body between said end discs, said ribbon having for a plurality of continuous turns thereof a permanent set 2,846,061 References Cited by the Examiner 3,030,231

UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 4 Fantel l 140 71 Buttnl 14Q71 Wilke 2065 9 Bar 24274 X THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Examiner. 

